Alarm opening boxes



Dec. 24, 1963 B. R. ANDERSON ALARM OPENING BOXES Filed Jan. 5, 1965 INVENTOR. 5200s A? 4/Y05250/V BY W '4 roe/v5) United States Patent 3,115,027 ALARM OPENING BGXES liruce R. Anderson, 9227 Evergreen, Detroit 28, Mich. Filed .lan. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 249,295 3 Claims. (6i. '7tl272) This invention relates to alarm opening boxes for cigarettes or other items to be time-rationed.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an alarm opening box for cigarettes or the like in which an alarm clock is mounted in one wall thereof with an adjacent wall hinged to provide access door to the clock and alarm wind and set controls, and latch means carried by the access door engageable with the alarm wind key and releasable thereby responsive to the turning of the alarm wind key counterclockwise by the alarm mechanism upon the sounding of the alarm at the time for which the alarm is set.

A further object of the invention is to provide an alarm opening box as set forth above in which the counterclockwise movement of the alarm key upon sounding of the alarm functions also to kick or urge the access door to open.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an alarm opening box embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view with parts broken away showing an alarm clock mounted in the front wall of the box including lever means on top of the box for operating the ()N-O'FF alarm control of the clock alarm mechanism from outside the *box.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view taken on the line 33 of PEG. 2 with a portion of the rear wall broken away showing the latch mechanism preferably employed, the hinged access door being closed and latched closed by the alarm wind key.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view with the access door latched closed, a portion being broken away to show the latch mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view similar to FIG. 4 except that the alarm has sounded, the latch has been released, and the access door has been pushed ajar.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters refer to like and corresponding parts through out the several views, the particular embodiment of the invention disclosed for illustrative purposes comprises a box it? of suitable size, an alarm clock 11 mounted at its bezel through an opening 1 2. in the front wall 1% of the said box it), the said box It) havin a hinged side or access door 13 adjacent the said front wall Nil thereof which is hinged to the rear wall lill by a suitable hinge means 314. The hinged access door 13 carries on its inner side a spring latch bar 15 which engages the alarm wind key 16 of the alarm clock 11 when the said alarm wind key is properly positioned and the access door 13 is swung closed. The said alarm wind key 16 after releasing the latch bar 15 applies thrust against the free end 150 thereof to kick the access door 13 ajar.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, the alarm clock Ill is of a conventional type employing a combined alarm and time set knob 17 on the back thereof. When in its normal position, the turning of the alarm and time set knob 17 sets the alarm time as indicated by the alarm set hand 15. When simultaneously pulled out and turned, the alarm and time set knob 17 sets the time of day or night shown by the conventional minute and hour hands 19 and 29 respectively. The alarm clock 11 also is provided with the usual alarm control ON-OFF knob 21 which is pulled out to turn the alarm ON and pushed in to turn the alarm OFF.

I To make the alarm control knob 21 operative from outside of the box 1%, it is operated by such means as a ball headed alarm control lever 22 extending through a slot 23 provided in the top wall 102 of the said box 10 and fulcrumed on a pivot pin 24 extending through a pair of brackets 25 carried by the top wall N2 of the box 10 adjacent the said slot 23 therethrough. The lower end of the alarm control lever 22 is loosely pivoted at 26 to a yoke 27 fixed around the alarm control ON-OFF knob 21.

The alarm wind key 16, which also is employed to wind the time mechanism, is specially formed with a latch finger lot? at one end thereof which is disposed substantially degrees with respect to the head of the alarm wind key in the direction of its turning during windingwhich direction is clock-Wise as viewed in FIG. 3. The spring latch bar 15 has its free end 159 hooked downwardly and rearwardly forming a latch hook 151 which springs over and engages the latch finger 16th when the hinged access door 13 is closed. The spring latch bar 15 is preferably provided with a bent anchorage portion which is suitably secured to the inside of the access door 13 by such means as studs 28.

When the alarm sounds at the time for which it is set, the alarm wind key 16 turns counter-clockwise as viewed in PEG. 3, whereupon the latch mechanism consisting of the alarm wind key 116 with its latch finger 169 and the spring latch bar 15 with its latch hook 151 becomes disengaged, and, upon further turning of the alarm wind key 16 as the alarm continues to sound, the straight or not hooked end thereof strikes the free end of the spring latch bar 15 and urges the hinged access door partially open.

The box 10 may be of any suitable size or shape to accommodate cigarettes and/or cigars or the like, and, when latched closed, serves as a rationing device for the contents thereof by setting the clock for any desirable interval of time during which no access to the contents of the box may be had.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described in detail, it is obvious that many changes may be made in the size, shape, arrangement and detail of the various elements of the invention, all without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. ln an alarm opening box for cigarettes and the like comprising a box including an alarm clock mounted in the front wall thereof with the alarm and time mechanism wind key, the time and alarm set knob, and the alarm ON-OFF control knob of said alarm clock disposed within said box,

the sounding of the alarm of the alarm clock responsive to the time for which it is set turning the alarm wind key in the opposite direction to the turning thereof when the alarm is wound,

one side of said box adjacent said front wall being hinged providing an access door to said box through which the clocks alarm and time mechanism may be wound and set,

means operating the alarm ON-OFF control from outside said box,

a latch finger formed at one end of said alarm wind key disposed substantially normal thereto,

and spring latch means secured to said access door formed and located to spring over the latch finger on the alarm wind key and engage the same holding the access door closed upon the manual closing thereof until the alarm sounds whereupon the alarm wind key turns releasing the interengagement of said spring latch and said latch finger to free the door for opening.

3 2. In an alarm opening box for cigarettes and the like comprising disposed with said box,

the sounding of the alarm of the alarm clock responsive to the time for which it is set turning the alarm Wind key in the opposite direction to the turning thereof when the alarm is wound,

one side of said box adjacent said front wall being hinged providing an access door to said box through which the clocks alarm and time mechanism may be wound and set,

alarm control means disposed through said box connected to the alarm ON-OFF control knob making said alarm control operative at all times from outside said box,

the said alarm wind key including a latch finger at one end thereof disposed substantially normal thereto,

and a spring latch bar secured to said access door formed and located to spring over the latch finger on the alarm wind key responsive to closing said access door engaging said latch finger and holding the said access door closed until the alarm sounds whereupon the alarm wind key turns releasing the interengagement of said spring latch and said latch finger to free the door for opening.

3. In an alarm opening box for cigarettes and the like comprising the sounding of the alarm of the alarm clock responsive to the time for which it is set turning the alarm wind key in the opposite direction to the turning thereof when the alarm is Wound,

one side of said box adjacent said front wall being hinged providing an access door to said box through which the clocks alarm and time mechanism may be Wound and set,

alarm control lever means disposed through and pivoted to the top of said box coupled to the alarm ON-OFF control knob making said alarm control operative at all times from outside said box,

the said alarm wind key including a latch finger at one end thereof disposed substantially normal thereto,

and a spring latch bar secured to said access door formed V-shaped at its outer end and located to permit the V of the outer end thereof to spring over the latch finger on the alarm wind key and hook thereover responsive to closing said access door thereby holding the access door closed until the alarm sounds whereupon the alarm Wind key turns releasing the interengagement of the V of said spring latch bar and said latch finger to free the door for opening, the other end of the alarm key striking the outer end of said latch bar as it turns whereby to push the said access door ajar.

References (lited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 378,909 Dodd et a1. Mar. 6, 1888 1,014,163 Melson Jan. 9, 1912 1,561,656 Moody Nov. 17, 1925 2,157,682 Sweeny May 9, 1937 

1. IN AN ALARM OPENING BOX FOR CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE COMPRISING A BOX INCLUDING AN ALARM CLOCK MOUNTED IN THE FRONT WALL THEREOF WITH THE ALARM AND TIME MECHANISM WIND KEY, THE TIME AND ALARM SET KNOB, AND THE ALARM ON-OFF CONTROL KNOB OF SAID ALARM CLOCK DISPOSED WITHIN SAID BOX, THE SOUNDING OF THE ALARM OF THE ALARM CLOCK RESPONSIVE TO THE TIME FOR WHICH IT IS SET TURNING THE ALARM WIND KEY IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO THE TURNING THEREOF WHEN THE ALARM IS WOUND, ONE SIDE OF SAID BOX ADJACENT SAID FRONT WALL BEING HINGED PROVIDING AN ACCESS DOOR TO SAID BOX THROUGH WHICH THE CLOCK''S ALARM AND TIME MECHANISM MAY BE WOUND AND SET, MEANS OPERATING THE ALARM ON-OFF CONTROL FROM OUTSIDE SAID BOX, A LATCH FINGER FORMED AT ONE END OF SAID ALARM WIND KEY DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL THERETO, AND SPRING LATCH MEANS SECURED TO SAID ACCESS DOOR FORMED AND LOCATED TO SPRING OVER THE LATCH FINGER ON THE ALARM WIND KEY AND ENGAGE THE SAME HOLDING THE ACCESS DOOR CLOSED UPON THE MANUAL CLOSING THEREOF UNTIL THE ALARM SOUNDS WHEREUPON THE ALARM WIND KEY TURNS RELEASING THE INTERENGAGEMENT OF SAID SPRING LATCH AND SAID LATCH FINGER TO FREE THE DOOR FOR OPENING. 